Raynors HCA 2015-05
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/21/2015
War-date Union soldier's letter, 8pp. 8vo., written by Pvt. H. Arthur White [WIA Drewry's Bluff, Va., 5/16/64], Co. H., 25th Mass. Vols., Annapolis, M. D., Nov. 6, 1861, in part: "…we left Worcester as you know in good spirits…we the Leicester boys [were] very comfortably seated in the last car of a train of twenty six cars…among them were our officers. It soon became so dark that we were shut off from what was passing in the outside world…we could hear as we past through a place the shouting of the people that were gathered to see us pass…and we soon were trying the strength of our lungs by singing many a [?] song……we reached Norwich…being the left flank company…when it became our turn to file into the…steamer Connecticut…we found that Co. H must take what room there was left…after zoom little pushing & squeezing, kicking & beating we made our way up to the deck…we found very good quarters under the lee of the great steam pipes to spread our blankets…we landed at N. Y…& met the Sons of Mass upon the wharf…we marched to the Park Barrack…[at] Jersey City…waited in the cars quite a long time…at length we moved off amid the cheers & waving of handkerchiefs…reached Philadelphia…were treated in splendid style. People got up from their beds to welcome us and manifested such a whole souled spirit that we were both surprised and pleased…may "God bless Philadelphia" went up from the ranks of Mass. 25th and that midnight march will long be remembered by us. We past in P. the Conn. 10th Regt which we met in N. Y…we got the cars ahead of them and they had to wait our motion-there is nothing like having smart officers…it was a dreamy ride through a desolate looking country…there is little to notice…save perhaps the darkes & shanties which we see by the road side as we approached Baltimore…we found troops scattered all along the road guarding it from rebels and we stopped at several of their stations…at the long bridge over Gunpowder creek which was partly destroyed last spring by rebels. We found a company of N. Y. troops…we entered Baltimore…went up Pratt St. where the sixth regiment past the 19th of April and traveled over considerable of the city…rain had caused the tide to rise to such an extent as to flood the street in the lower part of the city…started in the steamer Louisiana the next morning…arrived at Annapolis…and filed in the school ground which are occupied by twenty first regiment and occupied one of the buildings…when we arrived we found the 51st N. Y….the 27th Mass., the 8th & 10th Conn…it looks quite war like…your affectionate son, H. Arthur White. Direct to…Co. H. 25th Mass. Vol." The original transmittal cover is included. A bit light with toning, else VG
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